PAYETTE TRAILS! Introducing the Payette National Forest Trail Status Map! This is a great map that allows you to see the current status of every trail on the Forest. Plan your next trip with this map. Click this link – its easy to remember! http:/bit.ly/PayetteTrails
Dear Directors and Presidents,
Attached to this email you will find a file containing a completed application to establish a Sawyer Certification Program for Back Country Horsemen of Idaho according to the Forest Service Saw Policy, Forest Service Manual 2358.
Rob Adams of the Squaw Butte Chapter presented this application process at the September Board Meeting based on application information he had received from Oregon and California BCH.
Since the Board meeting, I have spoken with Pete Duncan who is the National Saw Program Manager. Mr. Duncan stated that BCH of California, Oregon and Washington all have approved programs under this policy. He would like to see Back Country Horsemen of Idaho have a Certification Program in place as well. Mr. Duncan said Back Country Horsemen of Idaho must have an approved Sawyer Certification Program in place in order to train and certify ourselves under the USFS Saw Policy.
The short version of the Sawyer Certification Program is as follows:
1. The Forest Service (USFS) will certify “C” Sawyer/evaluators.
2. Then BCHI “C” Sawyer/BCHI-Sawyer Package 12-31-2018 will train and certify other BCHI members as either
A or B Sawyers depending on experience and abilities.
3. Eventually, BCHI “C” Sawyer/evaluators will be able to certify new “C” sawyer/evaluators.
4. BCHI Education Chair or his/her designee will enter training records directly into the USFS
data base.
The only change for current “C” sawyer/evaluators that have been conducting classes is their completed evaluation forms would now be submitted to the BCHI Saw Program Coordinator rather than their local FS Districts.
Once approved, this Sawyer Certification Program will cover the entire state of Idaho. Also, since the training records are entered in the national USFS data base, our sawyers can volunteer in any state or USFS Region.
I will be seeking Board approval at the March Board meeting. Please review this with your Chapter members as soon as possible, and contact me with any questions and/or concerns.
Published on the 40th anniversary of America’s most important public lands protection movement
·Highlights the citizen activists who made and continue to make wilderness real
·Features new and archival stories from High Country News
With the signing of the Wilderness Act by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964, the National Wilderness Preservation System was established to secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness. High Country News brings to life the people and events who shaped this unprecedented citizen’s movement. Drawn from the pages of this award-winning newspaper whose coverage has been solely focused on environmental and cultural issues affecting the American West for over three decades, A People’s History of Wilderness presents the competing philosophies, complexities, and passions, as they happened, that has resulted in the protection of over 104 million acres of wilderness.
This is an excellent compilation of articles, essays and editorials from the top magazine about the western United States, High Country News, specifically dealing with wilderness.
Major national environmental groups as well as local organizations all get their due, as well as insight onto their different angles in wilderness legislation attempts, lobbying, etc.
So, too, do questions about compromise vs. hardball tactics, local vs. national perspectives, state-by-state vs. interstate wilderness bills and more.
But, this is also about the enjoyment of wilderness on the ground, along with related issues such as its overenjoyment in some cases, compromises with rancher grazing rights, and even more so with old mining claims and such.
You can’t do better than this book as an intro to wilderness issues.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Deeds Reveal Billionaire Brothers Illegally Gated Public Road
Contact: Brian Brooks, Idaho Wildlife Federation, (208) 870-7967
BOISE – The Idaho Wildlife Federation has found deeds from past landowners granting easements for sections of Forest Road 374, the Boise Ridge Road, for public use in perpetuity. The easements apply to the sections of road the Wilks’ brothers company, DF Development, has recently installed gates on, making the installations a violation of Idaho law.
Earlier this fall the Texas billionaire Wilks brothers made waves by installing gates on the very popular Boise Ridge Road located just north of Boise, which is frequently used by Idahoans for hunting and recreation access on the Boise National Forest. But Brian Brooks, executive director of the Idaho Wildlife Federation says, “this is about more than just gates. This is about wealthy individuals flaunting Idaho’s laws and illegally claiming public resources as their own without repercussions. And it spurs the question- how many more public roads have they illegally claimed as their own?”
IWF’s investigation into the construction of the Boise Ridge Road revealed the road was built with public dollars, and has been maintained using taxpayer dollars. The road was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s using public funds for the purpose of public use and fire management. Through a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by The Wilderness Society and shared with the Idaho Wildlife Federation, it was found that taxpayers have been footing the bill for maintaining the road for nearly 90 years, fulfilling prescriptive road easement requirements.
“DF Development has never had the right to close or install gates on the Boise Ridge Road, because it belongs to the public. These out-of-state folks have a lot of nerve coming into Idaho and gating a road that was built and paid for by the public,” says Brooks.
Current Idaho law prohibits marking public lands and roads as private. However, as a criminal violation only, a government entity must initiate the lawsuit for its enforcement. “The law lacks a civil remedy common in property disputes, which would give Idaho citizens the power to resolve the issue peer to peer in court,” according to Brooks.
“Counties are strapped for resources, especially rural counties where these violations are happening. Choosing to derail county budgets to prosecute billionaires over access issues, while burdened with more heinous crimes, is not financially practical. It’s time we give citizens legal recourse to enforce public access. By adding a civil remedy to the existing law we can save taxpayer dollars and mobilize enforcement procedures faster.”
Adding a civil suit clause will require action by the state legislature and could be passed as an amendment to the recently updated trespass law, the same law the Wilks brothers lobbied for. During the 2018 legislative session, IWF attempted to include a civil remedy provision to the legislation, but the idea was rebuffed and Idaho’s citizens were kept from enforcing their right to access public property. IWF is vetting potential legislation to lawmakers and interest groups for the 2019 session.
“It’s a small change. A civil remedy exists to protect private property rights. Now it’s time to protect public property rights.”
Worn leather boots lined the wall and a dusty wood stove sat in the corner of the room, ready for the inevitable chill to return to the mountains. “What we really need right now is a whiskey.” I smiled at this remark.
Matthew’s small cabin was dimly lit and a faint smell of game meat lingered in the air, the only trace of meals past. Out the front door and across the airstrip mules and horses snoozed in the midday sun. A few miles to our north and less to the east was the massive Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.
We talked for over an hour, laughing about ornery mules in the backcountry and reminiscing of trips past. Some of the wildest places in the lower 48 have shaped Matthew, both professionally and personally. I’d also like to point out that Matthew never mentioned a specific animal he’d harvested or shot he’d taken. His words were of experience and place – he puts great value on the intrinsic worth of things. I was glad to sit down and have this conversation. Enjoy!
B: Tell me a bit about your background. Did you grow up outdoors and hunting?
M: I sure did. My father is a lifetime hunter who had me out in the woods of Missouri with him from a young age. We’d hunt deer, turkeys and squirrels on both private and public land. I also ran my own traplines beginning in middle school, water trapping for beavers, muskrat, mink and otters predominantly. Paddling a canoe down the river checking traps really builds up an appreciation of the natural world in someone. I don’t trap anymore. Now my dad comes out to Montana every fall and we take the mules into the Scapegoat and Bob Marshall wilderness to hunt elk and deer.
B: So how’d you get into packing?
M: I got into packing when I was 18 as a trail crew member in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and learned from a fellow who’s the lead packer there to this day. Our trail crew would take stock out to self-support us during 10-day hitches. I went to Glacier National Park a couple years later as a backcountry ranger. I used stock and learned a lot more about packing from a guy who was the lead packer there for over 30 years.
I really learned a lot when I started working with an outfitter out of Augusta, Montana packing and guiding elk and deer hunts in the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat. We had one camp that was a 24-mile ride one way over the highest pass in the Bob. That’s some wild country back there. I like having grizzlies on the landscape. You get an elk down, snow is falling and you see fresh griz tracks bigger than your head, all the while thinking “I wonder if it’s on the elk.” It’s great.
B: Do you see yourself fitting into the realm of conservation through this work?
M: Absolutely. I support public access for fishermen, hunters, hikers, backpackers – really anyone using the country I work in. I also support trail crews and rangers to get trails opened up and to make sure regulations are followed in the backcountry. I pack out a lot of trash, too. Last year during the solar eclipse I spent a week in the White Clouds. We had a lot of people in the mountains so I made sure everyone was following fire restrictions and wilderness regulations over the span of that week. Fortunately people were pretty knowledgeable so I didn’t have much work to do. In 2016 I packed the chief of the Forest Service as well as Mike Simpson and a few others into the newly-designated White Clouds Wilderness which was a really good time. That trip left a big impression on everyone.
B: Have you had any wildlife encounters while packing that could have been a bit hairy?
M: Oh, once I was leading a pack string through Glacier National Park and we came across a grizzly chowing down on glacier lilies. I started yelling at it, “Hey, bear! Hey, bear!” It didn’t even look up so I just rode right on by. The stock did great, didn’t make a fuss at all.
B: And the bear?
M: That damn bear never even looked up. Just kept on eating as we passed by at about 20 yards.
B: Do you have any conservation idols who come to mind?
M: It’s hard for me to just pick one, but I really like the Montana writer and conservationist Joseph Kinsey Howard. I also like Wallace Stegner and Jack Turner. And Fred Bear is probably my favorite hunter/conservationist.
B: Any hunting stories that have stuck with you over the years?
M: Oh, well there was this one time… A few years back I was hunting deer at the edge of a meadow near a clear cut. Suddenly this mountain lion walks out into the meadow not 40 yards from me, lays down and takes a nap. It was there for three hours and the whole time I just sat there watching. Every now and then it would lift its head up, look around and yawn, then lay back down. Finally, it got up and stretched with lazy kitten eyes that I was watching through my binoculars. I turned around for just a second to look for deer on the hill behind me and when I turned back around the cat was gone. Just like that. It was amazing.
B: Any final thoughts?
M: The best thing I can say is that I am poor in the sense that I own no house and no property but living between Idaho and Montana I am so land rich as a citizen of the United States. I can head out my door and do an array of activities on millions and millions of acres. It’s unparalleled. Let’s hope lots of folks step up to keep it that way.
Matthew Chappell is a wilderness packer for the Payette National Forest. He spends half his year packing in Idaho’s wilderness areas and the other half at his home on the edge of the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana.
The goals of the SBFC Wilderness Ranger Intern (WRI) program are to train, educate, mentor and provide employment development opportunities for the next generations of wilderness professionals and provide skilled support to the Forest Service for accomplishing priority wilderness work.
This is a 14-week internship for military veterans and college students doing under-graduate or graduate work in conservation, resource management, wilderness, recreation or related fields. The internship offers wilderness skills training including the basics of trail maintenance, Wilderness First Responder, and Wilderness Act history and policy, followed by 12 weeks working in the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church Wilderness areas, with trained wilderness professionals, US Forest Service managers and volunteers. LEARN MORE
** The 2019 WRI application will be open until January 4, 2019. ** APPLY
Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation
Committed to wilderness and to the people who love it as much as we do.
The Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation is a community of wilderness minded and hardworking individuals, dedicated to connecting wilderness with the people who work, live, and play within it.
The efforts of the SBFC community protect and preserve the natural, pristine character of wilderness.
The Middle Fork Ranger District (MFRD) office is located in Challis, Idaho, and is one of six districts on the Salmon-Challis National Forest. The Middle Fork District administers and oversees over one million acres of land, including over 900,000 acres of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness (FC-RONRW) area, one of the last intact wild places in the lower 48 states.
A land of steep mountains, deep canyons, and wild rivers, the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness is the second largest Wilderness in the lower 48 states at 2.4 million acres. The FC-RONRW provides outstanding opportunities for primitive recreation experiences, with over 2600 miles of trails linking the various airfields, rivers, trailheads and perimeter access roads. The condition of these access roads varies significantly; some are not suitable for trailers, others are passable only to high-clearance, 4-wheel-drive vehicles or ATVs. The best opportunities for solitude are in the trailless areas, which total 1.5 million acres in the Wilderness. Maintenance of this large, remote wilderness trail system is challenging. Large fires, short field seasons, limited access, and Mother Nature (wind, rain, slides, etc.) all contribute to the difficulties of keeping these trails open. Most of the trails were built before 1930; many are steep, rocky, eroded, poorly located and poorly drained. Numerous trails are in primitive condition.
Les Schwab Corral, (Ford Idaho Horse Park Restaurant)
16260 Idaho Center Blvd, Nampa, ID 83687
November 17, 2018
7:30 AM Breakfast
8:00 Registration Desk Opens
8:30 Welcome Charlene Cooper – Idaho Horse Council
9:00 Cody Burlile –Idaho State Brand Inspector 9:30 Bill Conger President – Back Country Horsemen of Idaho
10:00 Q & A for Trails in Idaho
10:30 Open Discussion on Trails
10:45 Break
11:15 Dixie Christensen – Idaho Horse Council Youth Fund
11:30 Lunch
1:00 Steve Taylor Board of Directors Responsibilities – Presentation
1:30 Committee Report
Committee Reports:
Finance–Audit Report Diana Wadsworth
Animal Welfare-
Idaho Horse Census – No Report
Idaho Horse Expo
Legislation
Promotion & Membership
Racing
Scholarship Program
Trails & Urban Land Use
Wild Horse
Youth Activities
Historic Racing Youth
Call to Order Annual Business Meeting and Election of Officers
Roll Call Directors – Approval of Minutes- Report of Treasurer
Unfinished Business – New Business – Election of Board Members
Closing of Business Meeting
6:30 – 7:00 No Host Bar and Banquet Dinner
After Dinner Speaker Miss Teen Rodeo Idaho Kylee Whitting 2019
After Dinner Speaker Pete Ritter Ridges to River
Love them! We discovered HandsOn Grooming Gloves in the winter of 2016 and have been using them continuously ever since. Learn more about HandsOn Grooming Gloves and get yours at https://handsongloves.com/
Being flexible the HandsOn glove make scrubbing difficult areas such as joints and ears easy and enjoyable.
The Gloves come in various sizes to fit hands on any size. If you have smaller hands, now you don’t have to worry about trying to grip awkward large grooming tools.
The curry combs, mitts, and scrubbers in your grooming kit may well start gathering dust once you try a pair of HandsOn Grooming gloves.
We’ve just about finished up our 2018 clinic season with the exception of one upcoming clinic next week in Australia. This will conclude our 6th year of teaching clinics! Time goes fast when you’re having fun! It has been wonderful helping people with their mule problems and mules with their people problems. We are so grateful for all of you who have supported us at these clinics, it has been a pleasure serving you and you’re mules. We have made so many friends, met so many amazing people, seen some incredible country, and made life long memories all because of the mule. I personally owe much to the mule. The mule is my life, my love, my hobby, my living, and my passion. I have learned that the best teacher out there is the mule. Especially the troubled and misunderstood mules. They, like so many of us, just need a little help, a little confidence, a little nudge in the right direction, a chance for their potential to blossom. I am thankful for the mule and especially for all of you who are reading this. My family and I are forever grateful for all of you!
For a century, the mines of the Coeur d’Alene Mountains in North Idaho produced much of the heavy metals that made the U.S. a global superpower. Starting in the 1880s, through the rise of industrialization, the introduction of the automobile, and two world wars, a few narrow canyons in the Coeur d’Alenes yielded more than 11 million tons of zinc, lead, and silver, as much as a fifth of U.S. production.
Mining has left a mark on the culture of the Silver Valley and an indelible stain on the landscape, which remains heavily contaminated. To extract a pound of metal, mining companies had to process nearly 14 pounds of ore, and they dumped the crushed waste rock into mountain streams and along river banks. Over the course of a century, the tailings and mine drainage flowed down the 40-mile-long watershed, depositing some 75 million tons of highly toxic sludge into Lake Coeur d’Alene. House cats convulsed from drinking the water. Migratory tundra swans suffered slow deaths as their digestive tracts seized up from lead poisoning, causing both suffocation and starvation as undigested food backed up into their long necks. Children in the Silver Valley in the 1970s registered some of the highest levels of lead in their bloodstreams recorded anywhere. READ MORE & SEE PICTURES
End of Season Party, Tuesday Dec 11 , 2018 Time 18:00 – 22:00 (6-10 pm) Pot-luck dinner for members and guests
Food Drive – We will be collecting monetary donations for the GEM County Food Bank
Pet Food Drive – We will be collecting $ or donations of pet food (PAL)
Gift Exchange Pictures 20162017 Location: Rebecca Ignacio Party Venue 4131 West Central Road, Emmett Contacts: Shannon Schantz & Party Committee 208-365-7691
Notes: Sometimes I just need to get my hermit on. It’s been a whirl wind year of shooting, IMO, work and just every day life. It was time to make one last hermitage into the Owyhee’s before winter. Destination: Succor Creek Canyon.
Notes: Met Lee at the beginning of Fisherman Rd. bright and early. Needed an early start to make sure we were back before dark if possible. I’ve been wanting to do this ride for a long time. Lee has driven and hunted the route, but not ridden it. Fisherman Rd. goes all the way in and drops you down onto Owyhee reservoir.
Notes: Well, I thought the previous ride to the lake would have been the highlight of the weekend. I was pleasantly surprised to find today’s ride even better. I met Lee, Cindy and Becky at the head of Camp Hermit on Succor Creek Rd and followed them to a road above Lonesome Willow – previously known as the Bob Davis Ranch. The State purchased the old ranch and turned it into …pretty much nothing. Sure wish they would put it up for sale and let somebody bring it back to life. What an awesome place in it’s day.
Montour, Gem County, Idaho, USA sits at the base of Regan Butte on the Payette River. At an elevation of about 3300 feet, the peak of Regan Butte rises 800 feet above the small farming community below. Off not far in the distance a little east of north one can see the small town of Sweet, Idaho and off in the distance in the same direction just out of sight is Ola, Idaho. Looking just a little south of west one can see a portion of Emmett, Idaho. The Payette River wraps almost entirely around the butte, bordering about 3/4th of its base. 360 degree ViewIn the early 1860’s the first ranch was established at what is now Montour and it was used as a stage/mail stop along the road to the Boise Basin. Montour was officially platted after the railroad came through in 1911. Montour once vied for the Boise County seat but in 1915 it was incorporated into Gem County, Emmett being the County seat. In 1941 a new highway bypassed Montour which greatly slowed growth and shortly thereafter the school closed.
Montour
In the early 1860’s the Marsh-Ireton Ranch was established as a stage and mail stop along the freight road to the Boise Basin. After the railroad came through the Valley in 1911, the Montour business district and town were platted. They vied for the Boise County seat, but in 1915, the town was incorporated into Gem County with Emmett as the County seat. Dreams of prosperity faded, when in 1941, the new highway bypassed Montour, and shortly thereafter the school closed due to school reorganization.
The last store closed in 1968. In the 1970’s, ice jams along the backwaters of the dam flooded the Valley. The Bureau of Reclamation bought out the landowners and has since turned the area into a wildlife refuge and camping area. A natural landmark is the small butte, generally known as Regan Butte, named after the homesteader who ran cattle there in the late 1800’s.
Riders: Terry MacDonald, Mike & Karen Heilman, Carmen Tyack, Janelle Weeks
Sweet
During the gold rush to the Thunder Mountain Mines, Sweet served as an important freighter’s supply station. At the turn of the century, Sweet boasted of three hotels, three saloons, a bank, a newspaper, two lodge halls, and other business. It was named for the first postmaster Ezekiel Sweet. After the gold rush subsided and a series of fires in the business district, the town began to deteriorate, and was not rebuilt.
Potluck – Was held after the ride at the hobby ranch of Linda & Rob Adams located south east of Sweet. It was well attended by members and guest who enjoyed great food and interesting conversations. Stories were swapped of our summer adventures and plans started to form for 2019. No one went home hungry!
I had Mike over to work on my two horse trailers. My goose-neck trailer was in need of new brakes after ten year of hauling it all over the back country including a number of trips to the Stanley Basin. My Green three horse trailer needed its bearing packed and to sort out an intermittent electrical problem.
Mike comes to your location and brings a complete shop with him!
The electrical problem with the green trailer was a broken ground wire. BUT, while confirming that everything was working we found out that the wire that enable the brakes had come loose so the trailer brakes were not helping the truck to stop. Lucky for me, I only carry one or two horses in that trailer and generally only on day rides. The fact I didn’t notice is on me! I was pleased with the quality of Mikes work and I though he charged a reasonable price.
Sunday morning, October 7th, 2018 was sunny and crisp and had the look of a day for an almost perfect fall ride. The road to the packing area for this ride was still damp from the rain the day before, so no dust, and it had been graded recently so was pretty smooth. By 10:15 all the members who had signed up for the ride where finishing up getting their horses ready and by 10:30 we were heading up the left fork of the road to the gate that allows you to enter the south-west corner of this BLM area.
The gate was open, so we didn’t have to stop and the group spread out to climb up to the top of the first rise. There is no defined trail here, so members were picking their way up the hill side. Shannon, Nancy and two other riders were leading the way and Shannon’s horse wanted to lope up the slope. Shannon tried to slow her to a walk, but instead the mare reversed course and started loping down hill. This lope, turned more buck like and Shannon was pitched face first down the slope. Where she lay not moving. The group sprang into action, with half seeing to Shannon and the others catching her horse and holding the others. The first aid kit was taken off the back of Rob’s saddle and a patient assessment was started. Shannon was awake and aware and was able to tell us what she though was going on. She was able to set up after a bit and indicated she though she might have broken her arm or dislocated her shoulder.Under Shannon’s guidance for the most comfortable position of the arm, we used a down vest rolled up to act as a pillow and place it between her body and her fore arm which she was supporting. We then used her jacket and some vet-rap to fashion a sling. This arrangement allowed Shannon to walk back to the road while other brought her horse. By 12:00 Shannon was on her way to further medical care. I talked to Shannon at 17:30 Sunday night, and she said that she had dislocated her right shoulder which had been restored to it’s correct location, but she had also damaged some tendon and ligament attachments which would require further medical attention.
The members who continued the ride saw a coyote, hawks, antelope and ten mustangs.
Secure dislocated shoulder, and get patient to a doctor
By Alton Thygerson – BYU
The shoulder is your body’s most mobile joint because it can turn in many directions. But this advantage also makes it easy to dislocate.
A partial dislocation (subluxation) means the head of the upper arm bone (humerus) is partially out of the socket (glenoid). A complete dislocation means it’s all the way out.
Both partial and complete dislocations cause extreme pain and unsteadiness in the shoulder. The shoulder muscles may have spasms from the disruption, and this can make it hurt even more.
Symptoms include swelling, numbness, weakness and bruising. Sometimes a dislocation may tear ligaments or tendons in the shoulder. Once in awhile, the dislocation may damage the nerves. The victim will guard the shoulder and try to protect it by holding the dislocated arm in a fixed position away from the chest wall. The victim is unable to touch the opposite shoulder with the hand on the injured side.
The shoulder joint can dislocate forward, backward or downward. The most common (90 percent) type of shoulder dislocation is when the shoulder slips forward (anterior instability). This means the upper arm bone moved forward and down out of the joint. It may happen when the arm is in a throwing position or held up high over the head, as in kayaking.
So what do you do if you come across someone with a dislocated shoulder?
1. Place an ice pack for about 15 minutes over the injured shoulder. (Unable to do where accident occurred)
2. Give the patient analgesics, such as acetaminophen, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, to help reduce pain. (We didn’t, but could have)
3. Stabilize the shoulder against movements by placing a pillow or rolled blankets or towels between the arm and chest to fill the space between the arm and the chest wall. Once the arm is stabilized in this way, the elbow can usually be flexed to 90 degrees without causing further pain. Apply an arm sling to the forearm and wrist to support the weight of the arm. Secure the arm in the sling to the pillow and chest with a swath made either from a folded triangular bandage or a gauze bandage. (We used Shannon’s jacket to secure her arm and shoulder. Leaving the left arm of her jacket in place, we used the right sleeve of the jacket, routed under the right arm pit then looped under her forearm and then attached to itself with vet-rap. A down vest was placed between the arm and her body acting as a pillow and supporting the shoulder. We could have use triangle bandages to also build a sling. Shannon indicated that this was the most comfortable position. Shannon was able to walk down the hill to the road and her truck, when Nancy drove he to medical care)
4. Check the pulse at the wrist for signs of circulation. If there is no pulse, medical care should be sought immediately.
5. Seek medical care. Transport the victim in a sitting or semi-seated position.
If you and the patient are in a remote location and far from medical care, an anterior dislocated shoulder can be put back into place (reduced) if you have proper training. It should NOT be attempted when medical care is near or when proper training is absent.
At the hospital or doctor’s office a doctor will examine the shoulder and may order an X-ray. It’s important for the doctor to know how the dislocation happened. Was it an injury? Has the patient ever dislocated the shoulder before? The doctor will place the ball of the humerus back into the joint socket. This process is called closed reduction. The severe pain stops almost immediately once the shoulder joint is back in place.
A popular road in the Boise Foothills used by hunters and other recreationists has new gates and “no trespassing” signs as the billionaire Wilks brothers of Texas continue to exert their private-property rights in Idaho.
Forest Service road 374 — also known as Boise Ridge Road — crosses Wilks-owned property between Bogus Basin and Harris Creek Summit. The summit is north of the ski area and 13 miles east of Horseshoe Bend. Two gates recently were installed on the road, raising questions about whether the road will be closed to the public.
On Tuesday, the gate on the northern end of the property was open but “no trespassing” signs were in place. The sign on the gate also said “private road” and large trenches were dug to each side of the gate, apparently to prevent vehicles from driving around it.
The signs include the initials “DFD,” for the Wilkses’ DF Development. Attempts to obtain a comment from DF Development on its plans were unsuccessful.
“The physical barrier is irrelevant,” said Brant Petersen, the Boise National Forest’s Idaho City district ranger. “If it’s posted (no trespassing), it’s posted.”
General deer hunting along the Boise Ridge Road begins Oct. 10. Elk hunting begins in November.
The gated stretch of road has been privately owned but publicly accessible for decades. It provides access to neighboring public lands and a network of secondary roads.
“It’s one of the most heavy-hit areas in the state (by hunters),” said Brian Brooks, the executive director of the Idaho Wildlife Federation. “This is going to cause some trouble but it’s also going to start an interesting debate. … That road has been public for so long.”
It’s not just gates that will prevent vehicles from using the Boise Ridge Road on Wilks property. Trenches restrict vehicles from going around the gates.
Chadd Cripe ccripe@idahostatesman.com
The Boise Ridge Road gates have prompted more than 20 phone calls and emails to the Boise National Forest, Petersen said. That volume of public contacts usually only happens with major wildfires, he said.
C. Devon Mills, 55, Emmett, (formerly of Eagle) Idaho, passed away Tuesday, September 25, 2018. Devon was born December 26, 1962 in Denver, Colorado, raised in Twin Falls, Idaho and graduated from Filer High School, Class of 1981. He married his high school sweetheart Allison Whitney in 1984, had two children Brianne and Brandon and later divorced. Devon spent the past 16 years with his loving companion Linda Erickson.
Linda Address: Linda Erickson: 6727 W. South Slope Rd, Emmett 83617Devon was a proud member of Boy Scouts, 4-H, FFA, local pool leagues, the Twin Falls and Caldwell Elks Lodges and Back Country Horseman. He was employed by Amalgamated Sugar for 36 plus years.Survived by: Linda Erickson, Ruth “Mom” Mills, brothers: Randy, Claude “Butch” (Teri), Keith (Amy); sister: Cheryl (Scott) Taylor, Wallace “Creep” Farnham; birth mom: Toni Farnham; children: Brianne (Armando) Guzman, Brandon (Ashley) Mills, Carlee (Michael) Olivera, Ryan Erickson; and mother of his children Allison Chapman; Grandchildren; Anthony, Enzo, Harper, Jadyn, Drake, Brooklyn, and Ryder; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws.Preceded in death by: his Dad Justin Clark Mills, Grandparents Clark and Eleanor Mills, Charles and Thelma Tippett, Elsie Kenyon, Vern Osborn and Step Dad Wallace Farnham Sr.Devon loved spending time with his family camping, hunting, fishing and riding. His children and grand children brought so much love and joy to him and were the highlight of his life. Some of his best days were the miles he spent on his mules riding in the mountains.Services provided by Cloverdale Funeral Home; Boise, Idaho. A celebration of life will be held 3:00 PM on Saturday, September 29, 2018 at Caldwell Elks Lodge. Caldwell Elks Lodge #1448, 1015 N Kimball Ave, Caldwell, ID 83605 MAP
Make Me No Grave
Make me no grave within that quiet place
Where friends shall sadly view the grassy mound,
Politely solemn for a little space,
As though the spirit slept beneath the ground.
For me no sorrow, nor the hopeless tear;
No chant, no prayer, no tender eulogy:
I may be laughing with the gods–while here
You weep alone. Then make no grave for me
But lay me where the pines, austere and tall,
Sing in the wind that sweeps across the West:
Where night, imperious, sets her coronal
Of silver stars upon the mountain crest.
Where dawn, rejoicing, rises from the deep,
And Life, rejoicing, rises with the dawn:
Mark not the spot upon the sunny steep,
For with the morning light I shall be gone.
Far trails await me; valleys vast and still,
Vistas undreamed of, canyon-guarded streams,
Lowland and range, fair meadow, flower-girt hill,
Forests enchanted, filled with magic dreams.
And I shall find brave comrades on the way:
None shall be lonely in adventuring,
For each a chosen task to round the day,
New glories to amaze, new songs to sing.
Loud swells the wind along the mountain-side,
High burns the sun, unfettered swings the sea,
Clear gleam the trails whereon the vanished ride,
Life calls to life: then make no grave for me!
Henry Herbert Knibbs, from Songs of the Trail, 1920
This poem is in the public domain and does not require permission for use
September 2018 National Director Report respectfully submitted by Marybeth Conger, BCHI National Director
It was indeed an honor to represent the State of Idaho at the National Board meeting on April 23-25 in Spokane, Washington. Next year the meeting is in North Carolina. Hope you find this report informative. I am always available to answer questions or hear your concerns. 208-369-0769 or mbconger1@gmail.com
Some meeting highlights include:
1. memorial for lost members
2. acceptance of all agendas, letters, and minutes
3. Wisconsin was voted in as our newest state
4. eleven committees reported
5. a balanced budget was presented and approved
6. resolution to add a youth membership category narrowly passed. Keep in mind, each state can decide to add one or not because BCH is a downward up organization. The state of Idaho voted against this resolution citing liability concerns and question of overreaching
7. BCHA foundation had grant monies to help fund chapter and/or state activities. For more details visit www.bcha.org/blog/2017/12/06/bcha-education-foundation-grants
September 22, 2018 Education Report- respectfully submitted by Marybeth Conger BCHI Education Chair
Last year in Idaho, a bill was proposed to change Title 25, Animals, Chapter 11, State Brand Board and eliminate equine annual and lifetime brand inspections since fees collected did not cover expenses. Fortunately, this bill was tabled to give an opportunity for industry input. On September 10, I and many others, attended a collaborative industry meeting at the Idaho State Police Headquarters located in Meridian, Idaho. The purpose of this meeting was for discussions regarding different ideas/proposals to make the equine brand inspection program more financially sustainable. Attendees included Cody Burlile State Brand Inspector, Idaho Cattle Association, The Beef Board, Idaho Dairy Bureau, Idaho Farm Bureau, Back Country Horsemen of America, Back Country Horsemen of Idaho, American Quarter horse association, Dressage, Idaho Horse Council and the Idaho Horse Board. It was agreed that the Idaho Horse Council (IHC) would take the lead and write a proposal to reflect a higher fee for equine inspections and submit the IHC board ratified proposal to the other meeting attendees. IHC will work with Cody Burlile to collect information and program insight when drafting the proposal. IHC would need to hire a lobbyist too. As equine owners, we know these inspections legitimize ownership. But let’s not forget that the Idaho Horse Board (IHB) gets $3.00 for each inspection. Funds collected are then given back to Idaho horse industry yearly in the form of grants to further interests in promotion, research, and education. Since 1989, $496,395 in grants have been awarded. If your chapter is looking for monies to further chapter education or promotion and research, make sure to complete and submit your grant application by December 1st. Details can be found at www.idahohorseboard.com. Please help to spread the word and let me know, if any questions about the proposed fee increase or how Idaho Horse Board grants can help BCHI chapters achieve education goals.
Saddle pads get dirty, really dirty, really quickly. Sweat and dirt happen when we ride and it’s up to us to stay on top of the filth lest our mounts suffer. It’s time to clean our saddle pad.
I’m not about to say that I wash my pads after every ride. What I do is let them dry between rides (I have three pads that I alternate using) and prior to the following use I gently brush them in a circlular motion, with a rubber curry to break up any dried grime and sweat chunks.
But, by the end of summer those pads have seen a lot of trail miles pass under them and it’s time for a more thorough cleaning to remove the more stubborn deposits.
My fabulous first idea was to put the pads in the washing machine. My much better half said that wasn’t going to happen and that I should find a better alternative. Being too lazy to visit the local laundry mat I opted for a fence gate and a hose.
I use Skito saddle pads that have laminated foam shims inside a fleece pocket, so my cleaning process may be slightly more involved.
1 – Remove the foam inserts and let them soak in a bucket of cool water. I don’t use any detergent because it’s next to impossible to get out. Any soap residue that remains will irritate my animals and that’s a bad thing. Scientists consider water to be the universal solvent because it’s capable of dissolving more substances than anything else (barring oils which I don’t generally find inside my saddle pad). I use this property to my benefit and simply repeatedly squeezing the foams to slowly work any accumulated salts out of material. Dump and refill the bucket with fresh water as often as you can. I’ve been known to put a small amount of vinegar in the water to help kill any lingering beasties.
2 – With the saddle pad securely supported, it’s going to be heavy, use a garden use to spray the saddle pad from the inside out. I want to force the grime out of the material not push it further into the fibers. I also try to work from the middle outward, again always trying to push the dirt away from the pad. I’ve found that once the pad is completely saturated with water that rubbing the material with my fingers is easier on the fabric and works better than brushing with curry combs. This phase takes a while and yes, you will be cold and wet, but keep up the good work until the water runs clear.
3 – Once the pads and the foams cease releasing dirt into your clean water it’s time to dry. Help the pads keep their shape by hanging them over a saddle rack, out of the sun and away from direct heat. Leaving the pad hanging over the gate will cause it to stretch and lose its contoured shape. Direct heat or sun can cause the materials to shrink. Yes, drying this way is slow and takes a while. That’s why we have spare saddle pads.
I wish that I could say that these three steps to a clean saddle pad are a great secret that I discovered. Unfortunately, equipment cleaning is just another part of riding horses and mules. What I have discovered is that by ensuring that when this vital piece of equine tack stays in good working condition it makes for a better ride by continuing to provide the support, protection, and comfort that my animals deserve.
Keeping Paradise Possible – By Robert Eversole – North East Chapter, BCHW
Paradise. For some that’s an image of a tropical beach, for me it’s a dirt trail that twists and meanders to a backcountry camp deep in the wilderness. It’s a quiet solitude punctuated by the peaceful clip clop of hooves and the far scream of an eagle aloft. It’s the sweet perfume of pine on a warm summer day. It’s the
companionship of a trusted horse who will faithfully take you home.
Unfortunately, in a growing number of cases paradise has padlocks.
In only a few short generations we’ve “improved” a lot of backcountry and rural areas into suburbia and shopping malls. Trail Closed signs are both dreaded and unfortunately frequently encountered. Least we lose them, we’d better take care of the equine friendly country that remains. Paradise needs protecting.
You don’t have to be a trail rider, or even have your own horse, to recognize the importance of conserving horse trails. There are many things that each of us can do to preserve equine trails. Unfortunately, often it’s sometimes hard to explain why groups like ours are important. Here are some of the reasons to join that I talk about during my expo clinics.
Horse clubs are focal points for both social events and trail stewardship efforts. For me the biggest reason to join an equestrian club is for the comradery of people who have the same interests. Being able to talk about trail conditions, feed, training, etc. is priceless.
Don’t have a local Back Country Horsemen group nearby, or don’t care for the one that is? Start a new one. These organizations are always looking for new members and new chapters. A quick google search will put you in touch with someone who can help.
Here are four reasons to join a, or start, a horse club. And quotes from those who have.
You’ll meet like-minded people and make new friends
“Share activities with like-minded people both socially and out on the trails.”
“The diversity of a club’s membership allows members to ride and camp with others who have similar aspirations and at a whole range of experiences. It makes it easy to find people to ride with when their regular partner is unable to get away.”
“There’s a large group of us who don’t just go out on club rides, we’ll meet up on other weekends too – it’s great to have lots of different people to go riding with.”
“Looking for love? I know lots of couples who met through horses!”
You’ll see new places and do new things
“You can expand the scope of your own activities by taking part in those organized by more experienced members”
“A lot of clubs have a range of social events which complements the riding scene”
“If you want to go to a new trail area there’s bound to be someone in the club who has already been and willing to give you info on the place”
You’ll learn new skills
“Many clubs offer training opportunities, however chaotic or informal, and there are always more experienced members around to provide guidance and help.”
“Practical peer-to-peer coaching so that we all learn together”
“Knowledge transfer from more experienced members, a bit like an apprenticeship”
“As a new member I doubt that I’d have made the steps to ride outside the arena without the support of the club”
It’s fun!
“It’s more fun spending your day out with others. And they can get great photos of you and your partner on rides too.”
There are more benefits than just being a member of a club. There are new friends to be made, information to learn and most of all the comradery of people who get what it means to love horses and trail riding.
We live during a time when equine trail use is being curtailed. Most Americans live in urban settings, removed from our version of paradise. Most of them don’t understand the importance of conservation, outdoor recreation, and the protection of trails.
Please, don’t wait until you’re faced with a crisis before you get involved. Volunteer with trail projects, join a club that will help protect your trail access, and educate yourself and others on best practices.
And for my employers: http://www.umpquawatersheds.org . I work 25 hours a week for pitiful wages but I believe in the mission.
On the 22nd I will become a Board Member for another conservation org. The Friends of Crater Lake: http://www.friendsofcraterlake.org/ Promoting conservation issues here in “the timber capital of America” is a tough sell but I’m chipping away at it.
Robbin Schindele
High Haven House
PO Box 342
Glide, OR 97443
208-365-1789
We are pleased to donate 100% our profits to these non-profits:
Ride for Joy is a local organization, based in Emmett, that provides Hippotherapy (Equine therapy) to children with mental and physical special needs as well as Veterans with PTSD. https://www.rideforjoy.org/
The Treasure Valley Back Country Horsemen is a nonprofit organization working toward the preservation of the back country. Their membership is comprised of horse men and women who love our great outdoors and who want to be sure that recreational horse and mule use on public lands will remain a part of our American Heritage forever. http://www.tvbch.com/
FOSH is a national leader in promoting, supporting and protecting gaited horses. FOSH is known for its work to end soring of Tennessee Walking Horses through its public database of violators, www.hpadata.us and 60 years’ archive of soring articles. www.stopsoring.com.
Your contact information will not be shared by our club or it’s affiliates and will be only used to send you information about this event.
Thank You and Happy Trails, Anne Martin, SCGHC Fun Ride Advertising Chairman
Packing Support Wilderness Volunteers – Sunday August 26, 2018 (Trails Event) Location: Stanley Basin – Sawtooth Wilderness CREW PACK-IN is Sunday August 26 Trail 17.4 miles round trip, 2,266 elevation gain Pack-In Support for Volunteer Trail Crew MapTrail StatusProject description Location: Stanley Lake trail head to McGown Lake Contacts: Jay Dorr (USFS) & Zoe Putter (WV) Project Leader: Rob Adams 208-781-0548
On Saturday August 25th members of Squaw Butte drove to Stanley Lake and set up camp in the overflow area where members of the Wilderness Volunteer trail crew and the USFS wilderness ranger would meet us.Around 3PM a truck stopped at our camp and ask us if we had noticed the smoke plum over McGown Peak? It had become a bit smokier but we had not noticed, but we did now. By 4pm it was snowing ash and the air was becoming very smokey.By 6PM the Wilderness Volunteers had arrived and we discussed the situation over a beer and the concensis was the McGown project needed a plan “B”! A phone call was made to the USFS Dispatch center and they Contacted Jay Dorr who arrived around 7pm. The WV crew had moved their camp to a camp ground NE of Stanley along the Salmon River. Jay agreed that the McGown Lake project was toast for this year and he would talk to the WV crew about working on the Queen’s River trail near Atlanta, ID which would not need pack support.
The Squaw Butte team talked about leaving then or waiting for morning and chose to stay. BUT, by 11:30 pm the smoke had gotten worse and Rob decided to bale, waking up everyone while packing up and loading his stock.
(ROB) If you want to see wild life drive from Stanley Lake to Banks after midnight! Deer (many), Elk (6),Fox (2), Owls (2) and some weasel like animal. Elk were standing in the middle of the road around a blind corner, didn’t hit any, but it caused me to slow down even more from the 40, I was doing going down the hill from Banner summit to Lowman. Smoke made driving conditions fog like.
(Terry) turned into a very interesting night after you left, Jon’s horse tried to kill himself on high line, got back to bed and David decided to load his mules, so it was a short night! We were going to go to Bull Trout Lake, but Jon’s horse was swollen from rope burn so just came home.
Trail we would have used to take the crew into McGown Lake in relationship to the fire on Saturday.
Incident Overview
8-26-2018 Wapiti Fire grows near Grandjean (VIDEO)
Fire crews continue to battle the Wapiti Fire, located near Grandjean, which is now an estimated 4,000 acres. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered and will arrive this afternoon.
An area closure is being put in place around the Grandjean area for public and firefighter safety. National Forest System Road 524, which leads from Highway 21 to Grandjean, is closed.
Four cabins and 1 outbuilding have been lost to the fire. No injuries have been reported.
The fire has burned actively throughout the morning. While several spot fires have been found south of the South Fork Payette River, they have all been caught to this point. Firefighters continue to patrol this area to keep the fire north of the river.
Currently there are 7 engines, 3 helicopters, 3 heavy air tankers, 1 handcrew and 1 water tender engaged in fighting the fire. Several more handcrews, along with engines and water tenders, have been ordered.
The fire was first reported at 2:12 p.m. on Aug. 25 and the cause is under investigation. Currently there is no reported percent contained, nor is there an estimated date of full containment.
Cabin owners and those who had to abandon campgrounds during the evacuation as asked to call the Lowman Ranger District (208-259-3361) for information about when it will be possible to gain access to the area.
Hi Rob,
Apologies for delay in response. Work has been busy. We took 3 volunteers up to the big horn Crags and they put in for the rest of the week on a backpacking trip. Darrell and I stayed up there until Thursday, then headed back to Boise to visit friends. When driving through Stanley, we noticed that the Sawtooth Wilderness area was still closed.
We are on the trip as leaders for next year, but we have asked for earlier dates in August. Wilderness Volunteers will arrange the trip dates and release them before Xmas. I’ll keep you in the loop. We wanted different dates, as the booking is slim during holiday times (Labor Day). We can get a full group booked, we can accomplish a considerable amount of work.
I’ll let you know the trip dates or contact Aida at Wilderness Volunteers if you have input for trip dates. I’m not sure who the FS contact will be this year, as Lies & Jay are both retired now.
Aida would know.
aidalicia@wildernessvolunteers.org
Hope you fall season is going well!
Be well and safe travels
Zoe & Darrell
31. July 2018 · Comments Off on Ski & Mountain Trauma Conference (Saint Alphonsus) · Categories: Education
Ski & Mountain Trauma Conference (Saint Alphonsus)
Thursday-Saturday, November 1-3, 2018
Sun Valley Resort, WEBSITE
If you are an EMT, paramedic, member of a search and rescue team, ski patrol or just love wilderness medicine and rescue—this is your conference! Hands-on simulation, workshops, advanced climbing, avalanche survival and so much more are sure to give your team the latest education and techniques to handle any patient situation in the remote wilderness. Agenda
The conference will provide breakfast on Friday and Saturday as well as lunch on Friday. See you in November!
BCHI Pack Support: Trail 17.4 miles round trip, 2,751 foot elevation gain
Location: Baker Lake – Little Boulder Creek Trail Head – East Fork Salmon River Project Discription Map1Map2Map3
Contacts: Jay Dorr (USFS) & Jeff Halligan (ITA)
The Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds Wilderness is part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and was designated a wilderness area in 2015. It is situated along the Salmon River adjacent to the Salmon River Mountains in the Salmon-Challis National Forest and to the north of the Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness and the Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness. The Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds Wilderness is a special area due to its combination of sub-alpine lakes, abundant creeks, hiking trails and the limestone and metamorphic silicates which give the mountain peaks its striking white appearance. There are numerous spectacular mountain peaks includinf Propsect Point, Robinson Bar Peak, Lookout Mountain, Watson Peak, O’Calkens Peak, David O. Lee Peak, Merriam Peak, Castle Peak and Blackman Peak, many of which are over 10,000 feet in elevation. There is incredible fishing in the dozens of clear sub-alpine lakes in the area including the Big Boulder Lakes and Boulder Chain Lakes, The Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds Wilderness is host to many beautiful creeks including Blind Creek, Elk Creek, Warm Springs Creek, Beaver Creek, Germania Creek, Little Boulder Creek, Chamerlain Creek, Bear Lake Creek and many more. The hiking season is short with the alpine wildflowers bringing the area alive with color in the months of July and August. There are fabulous opportunities for viewing the scenery, plants and wildlife in this beautiful and very special wilderness. The Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds Wilderness offers opportunities for recreational, scenic, scientific, educational, conservation and historic purposes. Motorized vehicles and bicycles are not allowed in any designated wilderness areas. MAP:
History of Mining in the area and how the SRA came to be!MINE MAPBaker Lake Claim On Friday August 10 Jeff and Rob drove up to the Little Bolder trail head to secure camping space for the rest of the BCHI crew, Phil Ryan, Bill Conger, Janelle Week & David Benson. On Saturday Phil, Bill & Janelle drove up. David truck broke down east of Lowman and he had an adventurous weekend getting his stock home and his truck into a repair shop.The drive is around 4 1/2 hours from Horseshoe Bend, all but the last 3 miles on good paved roads.On Saturday Rob and Jeff each packed up three pack stock and took the kitchen and tools up the mountain.When we got back to the trail head, the rest of the team was setting up. We grilled steak and potatoes for dinner and were in our sleeping bags early as we knew we would have a busy day on Sunday. The ITA volunteer crew started arriving right after we had breakfast and it didn’t take long to pack up their stuff. The ITA crew received a pre-project briefing while we loaded our stock and got headed up the mountain
The BCHI crew made good time up the 8.7 miles and 2571 elevation gain to the camp site at Baker lake and had our stock unloaded and a quick lunch before heading back down the trail. Back in camp the stock napped in the shade while we enjoyed a cool beverage and shared stories.On Saturday August 18 we will again be riding out of the trail head to pick up the ITA crew. More to Come!
The blue line is our track from Tin Cup trail head to the crew camp by a waterfall west of Farley Lake. See More Pictures Tin Cup Trail head, east of Pettit Lake.Jeff and I arrived on Friday and set up camp at Tin Cup. We then sorted out five loads that we wanted to get up to the trail crew camp on Saturday along with the cook, Mary Jo.We got under way around 09:00 with me towing three pack horses and Jeff towing two and Mary Jo riding. The trail while rocky is in good condition and passes through some very pretty country. Horse and deer flies were a problem, with spray seeming to have minimal effect.The trail crew camp is just short of six miles in with a elevation gain of around 1250 feet. Wild flowers were at their peak.
We made the ride up 2 1/2 hours and the return in just over 2 hours. On Sunday the crew would be arriving with their stuff at 10:00 and there were still loads that we didn’t get up on Saturday. Phil Ryan arrived Saturday afternoon and would be helping with the packing on Sunday. He brought two pack stock. On Sunday morning Rob packed up three more loads and was on the trail by 08:30. Jeff and Phil meet the trail crew, collected their stuff and were on the trail by 11:00.By 13:30 all the equipment and personal gear was at the trail camp and by 15:00 all the stock and packers were back at Tin Cup and packing up for the trip home.On Saturday July 21 Squaw Butte members Rob Adams, David Benson and Mike Heilman and Treasure Valley member Leah Osborn, joined Jeff Halligan to pack out the ITA trail crew that had been working up at Farley lake.
Yellow Jacket trail head is south east of Cascade, Idaho. You get there by taking the warm lake road to the west side of the lake and driving south for seven miles on a series of gravel forest service roads. It is a popular area with a number of camping locations, interesting trails and good fishing. VideoSee More Pictures The camp site we used is on the South Fork of the Salmon river and is large enough that multiple groups can use it. There is good access to water for the stock and trees for high-lines. There is plenty of room for a number of trailers.Ten members of Squaw Butte signed up for this event, Janelle & Troy Weeks, Kelly Ragland, Shelly Duff, David Benson, Charles & Lorraine Chick, Fanny Berki, Shannon Schantz, Nancy Smith
and Rob Adams. Joining us were three members of the Boise National Forest northern trail crew, Hailey Brookins, Tom Shearer and Anthony Snelling. With this large number of people and stock we broke up into three different trail teams. Some explored the trail and roads available from this trail head, while the trail crew tackled the Yellow Jacket trail. This area has experienced multiple fires and has sections with many dead trees that gravity had not toppled yet. This last winter, many of those trees came down.
The team encountered down trees the moment they crossed the river and that continued for the three miles of trail that they completed of this seven mile trail on Saturday. We ran out of time and energy, not trees. We cleared around 50 major trees with chainsaws and a lot of brush and smaller ones with hand saws. It is likely there are 50 more in the remaining four miles.
One tree fell dead center on a bridge, it did no damage, but required a number of careful cuts to remove it.
By 16:30 all but the fisherman had returned to the trail head. We were tired, but all had enjoyed their day in this scenic area of the Boise Nation forest. A shady spot was found, cold beer or other beverages were opened and stories of the day swapped. One group had found a large still standing tree that some fool had tried to cut down, but got scared and stopped before he made the final fall cut. The result was a very dangerous tree ready to fall down over the road. They reported it to a fire ranger who was looking to see if any of the lighting strikes from the Friday night thunder storm had started any fires. That tree will be removed first thing this week, likely by blasting. Dinner was excellent and the talk around the camp fire lasted until the last of the alpine glow left the mountains.
THE COALITION FOR PUBLIC LAND
Keep It Public is a 501c3 non-profit organization run exclusively by volunteers. When you give to KIP, you help:
1. Build educational content about the American public land system
2. Direct hands-on conservation to assist our land management agencies
3. Provide a voice for sensible policy via direct advocacy
Whether it’s from a historical, constitutional, or economic vantage point, public lands are a national treasure. Given the amount of discord present in our society, we feel an obligation to demonstrate that individuals from a variety of backgrounds – be they recreational, industrial, or political – can come together over the unique and wonderful lands that belong to us all.
Join us in a united stance on behalf of federal public lands. #keepitpublic https://keepitpublic.org/
During the summer of 2012, I got together with an old friend I hadn’t seen in a while. As we sat and talked, he mentioned that one day he’d like to ride from Mexico to Canada on the Great Western Trail (GWT). That conversation planted a seed in the back of my mind (very fertile ground, due to a lot of dead and composted ideas back there), which took root and started to grow. I spoke with him several weeks later and together we decided we would give it a shot. As I started looking for information on the GWT, I was surprised at how little there really was. Apparently nobody had made the full trip in one shot before, at least not that I found documented. There were only wildly divergent estimates on the mileage, ranging from 3,000 to 4,500 miles, despite the fact that it’s only about 1,500 miles by roads (Google Maps), so estimating travel time is pretty much a wild guess. In fact, on the GWT website, I was the only registrant on the equine forum, so they made me an administrator. Read More
More PicturesLou Ann’s Directions June 2, 2018 was National Trails Day and Squaw Butte likes to make this project weekend fun for it’s members and to put our organization in front of the public. The Peace Creek trail head fits both of those requirements. Working with Charlie Jarvis, the Boise National Forest trails supervisor, we got the camping site reserved for our team and planned a full day of trail clearing and sawyer education.
Thirteen members and seventeen stock meet at the trail head camp, most arriving on Friday night. Camp was set up and stock feed and then an ad-hock dinner was prepared and shared. Even with a nice camp fire, when the sun went down around 21:30 the air turned cold and all wandered off to their warm sleeping bags. Morning came about 06:30 when the first of us got up and the stock noticed. Soon they were all asking to be feed and by 07:00 coffee was being sipped around the fire. Lisa had pre-made breakfast sandwiches which Bill warmed in the oven of his camper. By 08:30 we were saddling up and when Charlie Jarvis arrived ready for our project safety meeting.
With 13 members plus Charlie and multiple packing stock, we broke up into two teams, one would work the main Peace Creek trail with Charlie and a second would work the lower valley trail that connected to the Devil’s slide trail.
Rob, Shelly, Lou Ann, Nancy and Shannon worked the lower trail, while Chick & Lorraine, David, Lisa, Phil, Charlie, Fanny and Jon worked the main trail. Bill stayed in camp, fished and got some fire wood for our evening fire.
On Rob’s crew, Shelly did all the work while Rob took the role of limb swapper and sounding board as Shelly worked out her plan to tackle each down tree we encountered. Lou Ann helped with limbs and took all the pictures. Nancy and Shannon arrived late and had a nice ride on the trail we had just cleared.
This tree had a complex bind and was stressed like a big spring, Shelly had to determine how to safely release the tension and then she could cut it up and remove it from the trail. After 20 trees were removed and six miles of trail cleared, it was time to head back to the trailer for happy hour and munchies. The other team had arrived back just before us. They cleared a bit over 5.5 miles of trail, but didn’t clear as many trees, as a motorcyclist had started working the trail the weekend before. Charlie had wanted to survey general trail conditions and look at a rock slide that will need major work. After a great dinner that included pork tenderloin and moose, beers were drunk and stories swapped. If you didn’t cook, you helped with the dishes.
By 21:30 most of us had wandered off to our sleeping bags for a great nights sleep. Sunday dawned clear and not as cold, a great breakfast of onions, moose, eggs and potatoes, with home-made bread and hot coffee. Some headed for home and some of us took a fun ride before heading for our respective barns. This was a very successful project weekend and all who attended had a great time.
PAYETTE TRAILS! Introducing the Payette National Forest Trail Status Map! This is a great map that allows you to see the current status of every trail on the Forest. Plan your next trip with this map. Click this link – its easy to remember! http:/bit.ly/PayetteTrails 
Subject: Fwd: Sawyer Certification Program
A People’s History of Wilderness Paperback – September 2004
Matthew interviewed by Becca Aceto
Posted by Marybeth Conger
Link to District Information
Click on Sheet to see larger View
Our Annual Meeting Idaho Horse Council Meeting Saturday, November 17, 2018
Montour, Gem County, Idaho, USA sits at the base of Regan Butte on the Payette River. At an elevation of about 3300 feet, the peak of Regan Butte rises 800 feet above the small farming community below. Off not far in the distance a little east of north one can see the small town of Sweet, Idaho and off in the distance in the same direction just out of sight is Ola, Idaho. Looking just a little south of west one can see a portion of Emmett, Idaho. The Payette River wraps almost entirely around the butte, bordering about 3/4th of its base. 360 degree View
In the early 1860’s the first ranch was established at what is now Montour and it was used as a stage/mail stop along the road to the Boise Basin. Montour was officially platted after the railroad came through in 1911. Montour once vied for the Boise County seat but in 1915 it was incorporated into Gem County, Emmett being the County seat. In 1941 a new highway bypassed Montour which greatly slowed growth and shortly thereafter the school closed.
Trailer Doctor, 1577 N Plaza Rd, Emmett, ID 83617
I was pleased with the quality of Mikes work and I though he charged a reasonable price.
Sunday morning, October 7th, 2018 was sunny and crisp and had the look of a day for an almost perfect fall ride. The road to the packing area for this ride was still damp from the rain the day before, so no dust, and it had been graded recently so was pretty smooth. By 10:15 all the members who had signed up for the ride where finishing up getting their horses ready and by 10:30 we were heading up the left fork of the road to the gate that allows you to enter the south-west corner of this BLM area.
Under Shannon’s guidance for the most comfortable position of the arm, we used a down vest rolled up to act as a pillow and place it between her body and her fore arm which she was supporting. We then used her jacket and some vet-rap to fashion a sling. This arrangement allowed Shannon to walk back to the road while other brought her horse. By 12:00 Shannon was on her way to further medical care. I talked to Shannon at 17:30 Sunday night, and she said that she had dislocated her right shoulder which had been restored to it’s correct location, but she had also damaged some tendon and ligament attachments which would require further medical attention.
C. Devon Mills, 55, Emmett, (formerly of Eagle) Idaho, passed away Tuesday, September 25, 2018. Devon was born December 26, 1962 in Denver, Colorado, raised in Twin Falls, Idaho and graduated from Filer High School, Class of 1981. He married his high school sweetheart Allison Whitney in 1984, had two children Brianne and Brandon and later divorced. Devon spent the past 16 years with his loving companion Linda Erickson.
Devon was a proud member of Boy Scouts, 4-H, FFA, local pool leagues, the Twin Falls and Caldwell Elks Lodges and Back Country Horseman. He was employed by Amalgamated Sugar for 36 plus years.
Survived by: Linda Erickson, Ruth “Mom” Mills, brothers: Randy, Claude “Butch” (Teri), Keith (Amy); sister: Cheryl (Scott) Taylor, Wallace “Creep” Farnham; birth mom: Toni Farnham; children: Brianne (Armando) Guzman, Brandon (Ashley) Mills, Carlee (Michael) Olivera, Ryan Erickson; and mother of his children Allison Chapman; Grandchildren; Anthony, Enzo, Harper, Jadyn, Drake, Brooklyn, and Ryder; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws.
Preceded in death by: his Dad Justin Clark Mills, Grandparents Clark and Eleanor Mills, Charles and Thelma Tippett, Elsie Kenyon, Vern Osborn and Step Dad Wallace Farnham Sr.
Devon loved spending time with his family camping, hunting, fishing and riding. His children and grand children brought so much love and joy to him and were the highlight of his life. Some of his best days were the miles he spent on his mules riding in the mountains.
Services provided by Cloverdale Funeral Home; Boise, Idaho. A celebration of life will be held 3:00 PM on Saturday, September 29, 2018 at Caldwell Elks Lodge. Caldwell Elks Lodge #1448, 1015 N Kimball Ave, Caldwell, ID 83605 MAP
2 – With the saddle pad securely supported, it’s going to be heavy, use a garden use to spray the saddle pad from the inside out. I want to force the grime out of the material not push it further into the fibers. I also try to work from the middle outward, again always trying to push the dirt away from the pad. I’ve found that once the pad is completely saturated with water that rubbing the material with my fingers is easier on the fabric and works better than brushing with curry combs. This phase takes a while and yes, you will be cold and wet, but keep up the good work until the water runs clear.
Keeping Paradise Possible – By Robert Eversole – North East Chapter, BCHW
Horse clubs are focal points for both social events and trail stewardship efforts. For me the biggest reason to join an equestrian club is for the comradery of people who have the same interests. Being able to talk about trail conditions, feed, training, etc. is priceless.
“Many clubs offer training opportunities, however chaotic or informal, and there are always more experienced members around to provide guidance and help.”
On the 22nd I will become a Board Member for another conservation org. The Friends of Crater Lake: http://www.friendsofcraterlake.org/ Promoting conservation issues here in “the timber capital of America” is a tough sell but I’m chipping away at it.
Robbin Schindele
On Saturday August 25th members of Squaw Butte drove to Stanley Lake and set up camp in the overflow area where members of the Wilderness Volunteer trail crew and the USFS wilderness ranger would meet us.
Around 3PM a truck stopped at our camp and ask us if we had noticed the smoke plum over McGown Peak? It had become a bit smokier but we had not noticed, but we did now. By 4pm it was snowing ash and the air was becoming very smokey.
By 6PM the Wilderness Volunteers had arrived and we discussed the situation over a beer and the concensis was the McGown project needed a plan “B”! A phone call was made to the USFS Dispatch center and they Contacted Jay Dorr who arrived around 7pm. The WV crew had moved their camp to a camp ground NE of Stanley along the Salmon River. Jay agreed that the McGown Lake project was toast for this year and he would talk to the WV crew about working on the Queen’s River trail near Atlanta, ID which would not need pack support.
Incident Overview
BCHI Pack Support: Trail 17.4 miles round trip, 2,751 foot elevation gain
On Friday August 10 Jeff and Rob drove up to the Little Bolder trail head to secure camping space for the rest of the BCHI crew, Phil Ryan, Bill Conger, Janelle Week & David Benson. On Saturday Phil, Bill & Janelle drove up. David truck broke down east of Lowman and he had an adventurous weekend getting his stock home and his truck into a repair shop.The drive is around 4 1/2 hours from Horseshoe Bend, all but the last 3 miles on good paved roads.
On Saturday Rob and Jeff each packed up three pack stock and took the kitchen and tools up the mountain.
When we got back to the trail head, the rest of the team was setting up. We grilled steak and potatoes for dinner and were in our sleeping bags early as we knew we would have a busy day on Sunday. 
The ITA volunteer crew started arriving right after we had breakfast and it didn’t take long to pack up their stuff. The ITA crew received a pre-project briefing while we loaded our stock and got headed up the mountain
Back in camp the stock napped in the shade while we enjoyed a cool beverage and shared stories.
On Saturday August 18 we will again be riding out of the trail head to pick up the ITA crew. More to Come!
Tin Cup Trail head, east of Pettit Lake.
Jeff and I arrived on Friday and set up camp at Tin Cup. We then sorted out five loads that we wanted to get up to the trail crew camp on Saturday along with the cook, Mary Jo.
We got under way around 09:00 with me towing three pack horses and Jeff towing two and Mary Jo riding. The trail while rocky is in good condition and passes through some very pretty country. Horse and deer flies were a problem, with spray seeming to have minimal effect.
The trail crew camp is just short of six miles in with a elevation gain of around 1250 feet. Wild flowers were at their peak.
We made the ride up 2 1/2 hours and the return in just over 2 hours. On Sunday the crew would be arriving with their stuff at 10:00 and there were still loads that we didn’t get up on Saturday. Phil Ryan arrived Saturday afternoon and would be helping with the packing on Sunday. He brought two pack stock. On Sunday morning Rob packed up three more loads and was on the trail by 08:30. Jeff and Phil meet the trail crew, collected their stuff and were on the trail by 11:00.
By 13:30 all the equipment and personal gear was at the trail camp and by 15:00 all the stock and packers were back at Tin Cup and packing up for the trip home.
On Saturday July 21 Squaw Butte members Rob Adams, David Benson and Mike Heilman and Treasure Valley member Leah Osborn, joined Jeff Halligan to pack out the ITA trail crew that had been working up at Farley lake.
Yellow Jacket trail head is south east of Cascade, Idaho. You get there by taking the warm lake road to the west side of the lake and driving south for seven miles on a series of gravel forest service roads. It is a popular area with a number of camping locations, interesting trails and good fishing. Video See More Pictures 
The camp site we used is on the South Fork of the Salmon river and is large enough that multiple groups can use it. There is good access to water for the stock and trees for high-lines. There is plenty of room for a number of trailers.
Ten members of Squaw Butte signed up for this event, Janelle & Troy Weeks, Kelly Ragland, Shelly Duff, David Benson, Charles & Lorraine Chick, Fanny Berki, Shannon Schantz, Nancy Smith
June 2, 2018 was National Trails Day and Squaw Butte likes to make this project weekend fun for it’s members and to put our organization in front of the public. The Peace Creek trail head fits both of those requirements. Working with Charlie Jarvis, the Boise National Forest trails supervisor, we got the camping site reserved for our team and planned a full day of trail clearing and sawyer education.
Rob, Shelly, Lou Ann, Nancy and Shannon worked the lower trail, while Chick & Lorraine, David, Lisa, Phil, Charlie, Fanny and Jon worked the main trail. Bill stayed in camp, fished and got some fire wood for our evening fire.
This tree had a complex bind and was stressed like a big spring, Shelly had to determine how to safely release the tension and then she could cut it up and remove it from the trail.
After 20 trees were removed and six miles of trail cleared, it was time to head back to the trailer for happy hour and munchies. The other team had arrived back just before us. They cleared a bit over 5.5 miles of trail, but didn’t clear as many trees, as a motorcyclist had started working the trail the weekend before. Charlie had wanted to survey general trail conditions and look at a rock slide that will need major work. 
After a great dinner that included pork tenderloin and moose, beers were drunk and stories swapped. If you didn’t cook, you helped with the dishes.
